Pistol recoil tolerance

I shoot a lot of magnum handguns. Tons of 44, 41, and 357 mag...and i cant wait to pick up a 454 casull...but this weekend i changed it up a bit. My model 29 was unavailable so i was shooting fullnhouse magnum loads through a short barreled 629. That experience is best described as a fist full of violence. I still shot it well...but it kicked like a three legged ninja. It wasnt as much fun as shooting the heavier revolvers.

Where do you draw the line? What caliber or caliber/frame size produces intolerable recoil for you? I know everyone is different...just curious to hear everyones thoughts.

I have shot several .454's and they stung but were fun. I can put a box of .357 through my KLCR without too much pain/flinch (I attribute that to the grip/poly frame). I draw the line at a S&W 340PD, I shot one cylinder full and I was done. My hand feels like shaking anytime I see a picture of one.

Warp

October 3, 2012, 01:44 AM

Muzzle blast, flash, and concussion are fine. Fun, actually, as long as you have enough hearing protection.

Straight up pain in your hand from the recoil pulse...no thank you. It hurts and it is not fun. The most painful handgun I have fired is my Smith and Wesson 642 with stock grips and Buffalo Bore 158gr +P LSWCHP. Holy mother. I put some Pachamary compact grip son after one range trip like that.

Now, the hottest Buffalo Bore .357 mag out of my 4" Ruger GP100? That's just plain fun, and I would like some more. .44 or .454 is in my future

Certaindeaf

October 3, 2012, 01:53 AM

When I hand-crank my Model-T, sometimes the crankshaft gets bent.. I just continue daintily sipping my cappuccino. true story

TAKtical

October 3, 2012, 01:56 AM

.500 s&w

kynwatch

October 3, 2012, 01:58 AM

It depends. I had a Ruger Super Blackhawk 7.5" that I fired less than 20 rounds through. I hated it! It was very uncomfortable to shoot. I ended up trading it for a Savage Mark II(very happy with by the way).

On the other hand. I have a Smith and Wesson 500 8"that I absolutely love. It's one of the never trade guns I own. It pushes back into my hand when firing. No pain, just a big boom.

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

ApplePie

October 3, 2012, 02:07 AM

The hardest recoiling handgun I have ever shot is my S&W Model 329PD airweight, a 25 ounce 44-magnum revolver. With 240 grain low velocity practice loads at about 800 fps, it kicks harder than my S&W 629 with a maximum load. My 6-inch barreled 629 weighs twice as much as the 329.

With a maximum load, the 329PD is a handful. However, it does not hurt me. I don't mind shooting it at all, and I am very thin with average size hands for a man. I'm also older. However, after shooting 50 full-power rounds in a day through it, I really don't have any desire to shoot more that same day. Besides, I'm concerned if it will hold up to that much full-power shooting.

I read a review about 10 years ago that said the S&W 340PD airweight 357 magnum revolver that weighs 11.4 ounces is the hardest recoiling production handgun in existence, with full-power 357 magnum loads. Maybe not anymore; I don't know.

ArchAngelCD

October 3, 2012, 04:03 AM

I have shot all the magnums from the .357 to the 500 S&W and all are ummmm an experience.

I'm comfortable shooting any .357 Magnum load and every .41 Magnum load I have shot. Very heavy bullet .44 magnums at full power and not a fun round to shoot just to shoot them. Nothing wrong with downloading the .44 Magnum for range fun though...

Warp

October 3, 2012, 04:07 AM

I have shot all the magnums from the .357 to the 500 S&W and all are ummmm an experience.

I'm comfortable shooting any .357 Magnum load and every .41 Magnum load I have shot. Very heavy bullet .44 magnums at full power and not a fun round to shoot just to shoot them. Nothing wrong with downloading the .44 Magnum for range fun though...

What is the lightest gun (you have fired a full house magnum load out of of?

ArchAngelCD

October 3, 2012, 04:32 AM

I have shot a full .357 Magnum load in a 12oz Airlite but I won't do it again unless necessary. It was not fun and I see no reason to do it!

I routinely shoot 145gr Winchester Silvertips and equal rounds from a S&W M640.

I have shot a 25oz S&W M329PD in .44 Magnum and while not pleasant it was not as bad as the .357 Magnum Aitlite!

I carry a 15oz Airweight .38 Special daily and shoot +P ammo most times at the range.

Deus Machina

October 3, 2012, 05:55 AM

I haven't found a handgun that bothers me yet, but I haven't tried anything larger than a hot .357 or .44 special.

So far, the only thing without a stock that has bothered me was when my friend got a pistol grip for his Winchester 1200 in a kit and decided to give it a try.

Firing a friend's subcompact .380 feels like getting smacked in the hand with a hammer for every shot. Firing more than a round or two takes a real toll on the hands, and you will have to recover for a while after firing a whole magazine.

Safetychain

October 3, 2012, 07:43 AM

I can shoot my 1911 45 or my SRH 44 mag all day long with no problem, but just after 3 cylinders of 357 in a friend's S&W and my elbow and wrist start aching.

Certaindeaf

October 3, 2012, 08:33 AM

^
.."6" brain circle"? Those are some big-brained critters! Do they belong to Mensa?

Arkansas Paul

October 3, 2012, 08:34 AM

Full throttle .357 loads out of a Smith and Wesson Airweight are no fun at all. I put a cylinder through one immediately after putting a cylinder through a Super Red Hawk in .480 Ruger and the little Smith was much worse.

Pete D.

October 3, 2012, 09:16 AM

I haven't shot every combination of hard kicking gun available. I have shot most of what has been mentioned already.
The most unpleasant was a T/C Encore chambered for the 500 S&W. I was testing some of Rick Gibson's 600 and 700 grain bullets. Not fun...every single shot hurt.
Pete

460Kodiak

October 3, 2012, 09:32 AM

I shoot full power 200 gr and 325 grainers out of my 5" bbl 460 magnum, and it doesn't bother me. It is a handful, and impressive, but the recoil doesn't hurt or anything. I've not shot the 500, but I want to. I've looked at those 2.5 inch bbl ES 500's and 460's, but wouldn't buy one. I think that would be a bit unpleasant.

3" 410 shells out of my Bond Arms derringer are no fun at all. In fact I'm thinking of selling that gun because it just isn't any fuun to shoot. I don't particularly like 158 gr +P's out of my 642 airweight either, but they will do in a pinch.

highlander 5

October 3, 2012, 09:35 AM

Have to admit the 454 is my limit.

scaatylobo

October 3, 2012, 09:56 AM

They used to make a COP handgun that was a 4 barreled .357 magnum.

It was stainless and I shot full house rounds from it and it kept going out of time due to the recoil.

I was young and did a good deal of one handed shooting with a pistol gripped 12 bore,that was more comfortable than the COP handgun.

I actually sold it due to the 'going out of time ' thing.

The other gun that kicks like a mule is a DAO .9MM derringer that I own.

Kicks more than the .45 LC derringer that I shot for SASS.

BCRider

October 3, 2012, 12:00 PM

I've had the opportunity to shoot quite a few of the bigger hand cannons. While a couple of rounds is fun and a bit of a test I don't fancy shooting such things on a regular basis.

Even my recently aquired .44Mags are more fun for me when loaded down to about 10% less than max pressure loadings.

firesky101

October 3, 2012, 02:59 PM

They used to make a COP handgun that was a 4 barreled .357 magnum.

It was stainless and I shot full house rounds from it and it kept going out of time due to the recoil.

I was young and did a good deal of one handed shooting with a pistol gripped 12 bore,that was more comfortable than the COP handgun.

I actually sold it due to the 'going out of time ' thing.

The other gun that kicks like a mule is a DAO .9MM derringer that I own.

Kicks more than the .45 LC derringer that I shot for SASS.
I have always been intrigued by the C.O.P. When you say out of time what do you mean exactly? The barrels don't rotate so was it an issue with the firing pin mechanism, or was the breach trying to open?

Steve C

October 3, 2012, 04:05 PM

I had the opportunity to shoot a .500 S&W. 5 rounds in the cylinder was all I ever care to shoot.

One of the gun stores I frequent had a S&W Titanium .44 mag in the case. Mentioned to the salesman that the recoil would likely be stouter than I'd ever care for. He said it was back in the display case for the 4th time. The other 3 owners had brought it back after a while and traded it in after shooting it. Sounds to me like a good money maker for the store.

AKMtnRunner

October 3, 2012, 04:27 PM

I draw the line when I'm shaken enough to not immediately notice where the shot landed on the paper. If I'm taken "out" like that for even a small moment, that has me concerned. This has led me away from short barrels for anything magnum to reduce the blast.

Shooting max .44 loads out of a snub barrel is worse for me than a warm .500 load out of a 6.5" barrel. The really nice thing about the .500 is that I don't have to use max loads to have piece of mind around bears.

doc2rn

October 3, 2012, 09:49 PM

Airweight pistols with max loads are too much for me, for example a 642 and buffalobore +p 38s are more than I can handle after wrist surgery. Now solid steel firearms like the GP 100 I will scoop up and fire without a flinch. Platform is everything for me.

AKMtnRunner

October 3, 2012, 11:47 PM

100 lb deer are sometimes not stopped by the many times more powerful 12 ga slug, and you "think" that the 500 is good for the much larger, predation-minded bear? That's pretty funny.

Not to digress away from the thread's subject, I will just say that my choice is well thought and is the best compromise for my situation. PM me if you want to debate it.

warhwkbb

October 4, 2012, 03:14 AM

I enjoy shooting guns I've never shot before, so recently at an indoor range I was offered a cylinder full from a 3" X-Frame 500SW. In exchange, I offered him my Grizzly 45 Win Mag. Aside from the ferocious blast, the 350g 500sw was actually pleasant to shoot. I expected a whole lot more considering it was only a 3".

Meanwhile, my new friend only shot the Grizzly 45 once and said it was too much for him and handed it back to me. He may be right, I seem to have a little numbness in my middle finger after shooting a hundred rounds last time out with the Grizzly. I may have found my recoil tolerance. Not so much the round, but the platform itself!

The heaviest recoiling pistol I ever shot was a Contender in 45-70... one handed! I only pulled that stunt once! But the most uncomfortable pistol I have shot recently is my wife's LCR with heavy 158g reloads. I started flinching after the 3rd cylinder. I can only imagine the recoil on the airweight 44's.

Plow handled single actions work best with my small hands for handling recoil. I can handle 44mag and heavy loaded 300g 45 Colts for at least 50 rounds. I've also been wanting a FA454 and I'd love to try a Linebough if the opportunity presents itself.

wildehond

October 4, 2012, 03:24 AM

I have a simple rule. Once I stop enjoying it, I stop. But the biggest killer for me is muzzle blast. That is quite a problem with short barrled magnum revolvers with full house loads. One of the worst I shot was a 1.75" ported barrel 357 magnum with hot 125 gr rounds in an indoor range. You could feel the muzzle blast in your sinusses. I have shot hot 454 Casull loads at that same range from a Rangin Bull and enjoyed it.

481

October 5, 2012, 12:23 AM

I have a simple rule. Once I stop enjoying it, I stop.

This. If it hurts, it's out. I don't need (or want) a flinch.

I draw "the line" for comfort using free recoil velocity of the firearm as the measure.

For handguns, anything that backs up faster than 20 fps is over the line. For rifles, the limit is 15 fps.

Alaska444

October 5, 2012, 12:50 AM

I almost bought a .454 Casull Ruger Super Redhawk. I test fired it first with a full loads and then thought I could handle it. However, remembering that my hand was numb for about 5 minutes after shooting it brought me to my senses.

I went with a .44 magnum Ruger Super Redhawk and the recoil with full loads in this gun really is well tolerated.

Firing a friend's subcompact .380 feels like getting smacked in the hand with a hammer for every shot. Firing more than a round or two takes a real toll on the hands, and you will have to recover for a while after firing a whole magazine.
Ain't that the truth. My SP101 with full load .357's is almost as much of a felt recoil as my .44 magnum. Small and light can be plain nasty.

Rexster

October 6, 2012, 07:49 PM

As I get older, and wear and tear are coming home to roost, .40 S&W in a SIG P229 has become too much for me, in quantity, but .45 ACP from an all-steel 1911 is still fine. The SIG has a higher bore axis, is a lighter-weight weapon, and the .40 is launching a fairly heavy bullet a a somewhat higher velocity than .45 ACP, so it feels "snappy" to me. As my employer mandates .40 in our duty pistols, I may switch weapons, if the G22, G23, or M&P40, the other authorized duty pistols, prove to kick substantially less than a P229. I used a G22 before the SIG, and seem to recall it having less felt recoil.

I used to be tougher. The P229 did not bother me at all in 2004, when I bought it. I owned an S&W Model 629 .44 Magnum in 1984-1985, and settled on an S&W Model 58 .41 Magnum as a duty/carry sixgun in 1985, using it through most of the 1980s, while practicing with it often.

Stress_Test

October 6, 2012, 08:40 PM

The heaviest recoiling gun I own is an LCR in .357. I mostly shoot .38 out of it, and just a handful of .357 at a time. About 20-25 rounds is enough for me. It doesn't feel too good when my palm starts to ache.

Today I was shooting it at an indoor range, in a lane next to the concrete wall, with Remington 125gr SJHP loads. The blast is absolutely ferocious under such conditions. On each shot I felt the pressure wave and small particles smack against my face (safety glasses required!!). I actually made some decent hits with it at 7 yards, but after about 25 rounds I had had enough fun. Could I have shot a full box of 50 .357 out of it? Yeah, I could have. Did I WANT to? NO! I switched back to .38s :)

Btw, my brother shoots some of those crazy ultra-magnum single action guns, and even he hates the LCR recoil!

Shadow 7D

October 6, 2012, 08:59 PM

Better to shoot a gun than you can HIT with, than the biggest gun (load) you can shoot with.

Bladesmith2000

October 6, 2012, 09:00 PM

I love shooting .44 mag hot loads out of my Ruger Redhawk and I can take factory loads all day long. Shooting the S&W .460 is where I draw the line at fun. Twenty rounds of .460 leaves me sore the next day and a bit twitchy too.

MachIVshooter

October 6, 2012, 10:15 PM

I haven't found my limit yet, although a couple or three cylinders of hot .44 Spl. out of the 20 ounce Bulldog Pug is enough in a day; Way snappier than my 629 3" with full house magnums. My SRH .454 is fun for about a box of the stout stuff. After that, both my hand and my wallet are a tad sore. The 340PD is about the most unpleasant I can think of, unless S&W decide to release a scandium 460/500....

100 lb deer are sometimes not stopped by the many times more powerful 12 ga slug, and you "think" that the 500 is good for the much larger, predation-minded bear? That's pretty funny.

Don't know that I'd call a <10% difference "many times more powerful".........

Alaska444

October 7, 2012, 12:03 AM

Better to shoot a gun than you can HIT with, than the biggest gun (load) you can shoot with.
I am a pretty good shot with my rifle, but not so good right now with my revolvers. It takes a different skill set to get good with a handgun. For me, my poor handgun skills really are not related at all to recoil tolerance, just lack of dedicated skill building to date and practice. Hopefully, one of these days, I will get as proficient with a handgun as I am with my Marlin with Skinner peep sights. I actually love shooting my .44 magnum with high powered loads, don't bother me none at all. I just wish I could hit what I am shooting at. LOL

HankB

October 7, 2012, 12:31 AM

My S&W 340Sc was downright nasty with full power .357s; I put on Crimson Trace rubber grips that cover the backstrap, and thanks to that little bit of cushioning it's merely unpleasant rather than painful . . . at least for a couple of cylinders. (My normal carry load is Winchester 145gr Silvertip; the ones I've tested haven't back out the bullet under recoil.)

The original T/C Contender with the swoopy wood grip was a real handful with the skinny octagon .44 magnum barrel; Pachmayr's rubber grips tamed that.

I dislike large caliber single actions; the grip shape and high bore line don't go together well.

.22-5-40

October 7, 2012, 01:30 AM

Hello, everyone..interesting posts! Back in late 1970's..up thru mid 80's..I was heavy into IHMSA pistol silhouette. Started out with a 6" S&W Mod. 19..few months later a S&W Mod. 27 8 3/8. after about a year went to a .41 mag. S&W 57..finally a single-shot RPM in 7mm Merrill.
That last one HURT!..we didn't have the padded ergonomic shooting gloves of today..I used a heavy leather winter glove with first finger cut off..palm of hand still sore days after!
Nearly 20 years passed before I fired a revolver again...Too busy with rifles!
Recently I have taken up revolver shooting again..mostly Colt S.A.A. & the two .357 Smiths. I find I am liking the mild but accurate loads more nowdays. The Smiths are now on a Special diet...and lead is the only metal I use.
A nice Sunday afternoon with a mild mannered handgun is a good relaxing tonic after a 60+ hour workweek.

MachIVshooter

October 7, 2012, 04:33 AM

yeah, everyone carries 9" barreled revolvers. :-)

The standard X-frame is 8-3/8", which ain't gonna give up but 20 or so FPS. And that's a lot easier to carry than a shotgun.

also, the .72 bore is a lot bigger than the .500, by a lot more than the .45 is bigger than the 9mm. :-) Yet that pathetic .09" diff is supposed to mean SO much. :-)

You're attributing beliefs where they don't belong, in addition to countering your own point :scrutiny:

Besides, I never said the shotgun w/slugs wasn't preferable to a .500 mag for big, nasty critter defense. I simply pointed out that it is not orders of magnitude more powerful. In point of fact, from equal sized firearms, the .500 S&W easily eclipses the 12 ga slug in terms of KE.

None of this has a thing to do with the OP, either, so lets get back on track. Unless you have a PGO 12 ga SBS, shotguns do not belong in this thread.

fastest45ever

October 7, 2012, 05:28 AM

Custom grips, built for YOUR hands are critical once you get much over .44 Magnum.

I like to use numbers, like a recoil calculator, to quantify my observations.

The worst are 525 grains at 1350 fps, out of a 3.6 pound gun. Generates around 62 ft-lbs of recoil. If you up this to 1550 fps, and you can, you get a handgun that recoils as much ft-lbs wise, as a .458 Win mag, or .458 Lott lite.

180's rated at 1400 fps out of a 340PD. The SPEED of the recoil gets very high with the lightweight scandium guns. Speed kills. It also does a lot to injure your hands. You can get up around 50 fps of velocity with the 12 oz scandium guns.

I've found that staying on the lower side of the pressure scale helps make recoil more manageable. Problem is this can come with greater velocity variations, and less accuracy.

At a certain point bullet weight makes up for even lower pressure.

You will find that a steady diet of high powered, and by that, I mean .454 Casull or greater level loads, will eventually do damage you can't reverse to nerves, mind, and arms. Be careful out there.

ares338

October 7, 2012, 10:40 AM

I guess I haven't found anything I couldn't tolerate yet. The hardest kicking handgun is my Ruger LCR 357/38 revolver shooting 125 grain 357 loads. It's best described as a wall of pressure wave moving through your face...LOL. Still, to me it's just fun. It helps that I am a big guy with good upper body strength at age 63 so I like the recoil feeling. I'm sure I'll have to back off of these loads as time moves on....But until then boom!

JRWhit

October 7, 2012, 11:05 AM

I think the big bore appeal is more about the percussion than the kick. The percussion gives the appeal for me. A heavy bruise in my palm takes away the pleasantry of firing it. At one of the gun shows I attended I ran across a 454 casul in a snub nose air weight platform, used. I knew without asking why the original owner would decide it wasn't for him. I don't know why one would torture themselves with that but to each their own. Don't get me wrong,I'd still want to shoot it given the chance,go figure.
On a cautionary note, If you have a big bore magnum, be very weary who you let shoot it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vycqTDfngzU
If you have a large magnum this is a must see. Somehow the way she is holding the gun or clinching the trigger allows it to cycle the cylinder and fire again off of the recoil of the gun without intention and she is very,very lucky.

bassdogs

October 7, 2012, 11:48 AM

What am I missing? Just turned 65, not a 1k round shooter, and my handguns of choice are 1] Colt Trooper 6" in 357, 2] Glock 40 full sized, and Judge PD 410/45LC. Usually shoot a couple of them at a setting and 30 to 50 rounds each. Most of the time I practice with 38sp in the Trooper but always pop a couple full loads of 357 just to keep the feel. I consider all 3 of these to be heavy caliber weapons but don't find any of them to be hard to shoot. Recoil is stout but even with BB heavy 357 or 45LC the recoil is manageable and 2nd shot target acquisition is pretty quick. Maybe if I shot more rounds each time I would feel the pain?

mavracer

October 7, 2012, 01:33 PM

After 25 years of drilling holes for a living, I have a self imposed limit of 15-20 rounds of any really heavy recoiling gun. IE airweight magnums, 454 Ruger Alaskan or my 480 Rugers. I like to shoot 240-255gr cast SWCs at 800 to 1000fps much better.

Bushpilot

October 7, 2012, 03:32 PM

The cartridge recoil levels that I can handle and those that I truly enjoy are two different things. The larger chamberings that I still really enjoy shooting lots of are 45 acp, 44 special and, 45 lc (usually all in medium or large guns). The 357 mags depend a lot on which size gun I'm shooting them out of... Medium or large frame guns are fun, no problem. Those that I can handle but don't necessarily want to shoot full power loads with all afternoon are my 44 mags and 7mm IHMSA. Of course, the size of the gun and the type of grips really matter as much as the cartridge that it's chambered for.

Derek Zeanah

October 7, 2012, 03:45 PM

It really depends. I can shoot a .44 Magnum out of a single-action pistol and it's no big deal. The only .44 Mag I've owned though was a S&W 429, and that thing was set up so that the knuckle of my middle finger took a beating with each round. Not fun, and sold to a friend who liked it.

9mm, .357 Mag, and .45 ACP are rounds I shoot well, but I have had problems with every .40 S&W I've owned (2 Sigs and 3 Glocks). It's something about the snappiness of the recoil -- I can handle it fine, but I'm more accurate shooting the same platform in a different caliber.

I guess I'm trying to say two things: There's more to this than "does it hurt when you shoot it."
I'm a sissy when it comes to pain handguns that don't fit well

JohnM

October 7, 2012, 03:52 PM

I'm going on 70 and some days the arthritis in my hands gets pretty bad, but I still love to shoot the big powerful hand cannons.
The right grips make all the difference in the world.

TrueTexan

October 7, 2012, 09:19 PM

Just recently got a 686 3 inch to go with my 686 6inch and I can shoot the 6 inch without problems with the 158 gr 357. When I shoot the 3 inch I really feel it so I'm changing the grips to Pachmayer and see if it helps.

56hawk

October 7, 2012, 09:47 PM

My actual recoil tolerance comes in at about 65 ft-lbs of energy. That's what my snub nose 500 does with 700 grain bullets. At that level of recoil I can only shoot five to ten rounds before my wrist starts to hurt.

For felt recoil my M&P 360 is the worst with full power 357 ammo.

spaniel

October 7, 2012, 10:23 PM

One must consider cartridge, gun weight, and grip design.

Other than my 1858 Remington BP conversion 45 Colt which only shoots cowboy loads, my two bigbores are both lightweight guns....Taurus Tracker 41Mag, SW 329PD 44Mag. The Tracker grip is probably the most ergonomic and comfortable grip I have ever shot; despite the total titanium construction (it is ported), I can load it with the heaviest bullets that will fit in the cylinder at max charge and it is still pretty fun to shoot. I stop to spare the gun, not me.

The 329 is another matter. When I got it, it wore the factory rubber grips, which exposed the backstrap. The N frame is also on the large size for my hands. I loaded it up with a cylinder of the only 44 ammo I owned....near-max loads with 240gr bullets...WOW...with every pull of the trigger I could feel the recoil increase as the weight in the cylinder got lighter. After 3 rounds, I was DONE. I was psychologically beaten and could not bring myself to pull the trigger again, it hurt my hand so bad.

I ordered the X-frame 500SW grips and installed them on the gun...they cover the backstrap in rubber. The gun is now a tad more over-sized for me, but I've adapted. I can't say I'd shoot 150 rounds of full power loads in a day, but I can shoot 50 of the same loads that I used to not be able to empty the cylinder with, no problem. My typical range load is a mid-range load, and I can shoot that until I get bored.

IMHO the .357Mag version of this gun is probably much more unpleasant, and the 329 does not deserve its reputation for punishment. People shoot it with the factory grips (wood or rubber, both exposing the backstrap) and pass judgement.

I have no desire to go anything bigger or higher recoiling. Might as well make it a single shot. People always go for the biggest and baddest in the oh-so-fun bear threads, even though they probably couldn't pull off a second shot if their life depended on it....which is exactly the case, if a griz is charging you.

threefortyduster

October 8, 2012, 12:09 AM

I don't have any short barreled guns bigger than .357 Magnum. However, shooting .480 Ruger even out of a 7.5" barreled Super Redhawk with a red dot on it still wasn't comfortable. I would only probably put about 12 or 18 rounds through it in one day (cost is also a major concern with that gun).

.44 Magnum from a 7.5" barrel isn't bad at all, but I really want to see the difference with a 4" or so barrel.

Shadow 7D

October 8, 2012, 05:28 AM

SOLD
a KT P40
believe it's the lightest production 40 ever made
they stopped it, seems too many got returned that weren't broken
I couldn't shoot it fast, reset was long, even trying to 'ride' the recoil, ended with my hands over my head.

OH, and EVERY pull of the trigger felt like someone taking a ballpeen hammer to my hands...

OilyPablo

October 8, 2012, 07:36 AM

I shot a .500S&W. It was a HUGE BOOM. It rattles buried 8x8 posts. But the recoil was smooth and not that abusive. I shoot hot 10mm all day long out of my Glock 20 and S&W 1006. YET - I have shot a Glock 27 (.40S&W) that was so totally abusively snappy I knew instantly that combination sucked.

That said what is the .510 GNR all about? How is that?

bhk

October 8, 2012, 09:27 AM

I am 63 and have shot handguns since my early 20's. A few months ago, I was shocked and extremely dismayed to find my wrist hurting after firing three magazines through my .45 auto. It hurt for almost a week. Subsequent shooting has had the same results. Since shooting is my most important hobby, this has me really, really depressed. More .22s, I guess.

Stress_Test

October 8, 2012, 01:08 PM

I am 63 and have shot handguns since my early 20's. A few months ago, I was shocked and extremely dismayed to find my wrist hurting after firing three magazines through my .45 auto. It hurt for almost a week. Subsequent shooting has had the same results. Since shooting is my most important hobby, this has me really, really depressed. More .22s, I guess.
bhk,

If you don't reload .45 auto, try some of the Winchester white box ammo (often found at Walmart) in the 185 grain FMJ flatnose variety.

It is a pretty light target load and may be easier on your wrist.

clg114

October 8, 2012, 01:36 PM

I agree with kozak6. I'm a big guy with big hands and don't have too much of a problem with big recoil. I have a AMT Backup in 380. This a very small gun and it just plain hurts to shoot it. I think it is the only handgun I've ever shot that is not fun to shoot.

Teachu2

October 8, 2012, 03:13 PM

I am 63 and have shot handguns since my early 20's. A few months ago, I was shocked and extremely dismayed to find my wrist hurting after firing three magazines through my .45 auto. It hurt for almost a week. Subsequent shooting has had the same results. Since shooting is my most important hobby, this has me really, really depressed. More .22s, I guess.

You might want to try a new recoil spring - if yours isn't up to snuff, it will cause the symptom you describe.

481

October 8, 2012, 05:16 PM

It really depends. I can shoot a .44 Magnum out of a single-action pistol and it's no big deal.

Yeah, that's kind of my upper limit, too.

Out of my 7.5" stainless SBH, 240 gr. JHPs run about 1350 fps and give it a free recoil velocity of 20.1 fps- just at the edge of discomfort for me. Lotsa folks complain about the squared-off rear of the trigger guard giving 'em all sortsa pain, but it has never bit in all these years.

Iggy

October 8, 2012, 09:24 PM

I shot a dozen "Elmer Keith loads" out of my Model 58 S&W .41 mag, on my days off for 13 years.
I would draw and fire them one at a time. They weren't fun but I got pretty handy with that gun.

I can tell you that recoil is cumulative.

I get a lot more enjoyment out of a K-22 or K-38 these days..

Pete D.

October 9, 2012, 06:57 PM

56:My actual recoil tolerance comes in at about 65 ft-lbs of energy. That's what my snub nose 500 does with 700 grain bullets.
Do you think that you are getting 1100 fps with those Tyrannosaur Thumpers out of a 64 ounce snubbie? Or less velocity and a lighter gun? Pretty thumpy in any case.
My Encore is about four pounds; velocity is above 1100. It hurts to shoot it as I noted earlier.....wouldn't have thought that recoil was up that high though. Wow.

56hawk

October 9, 2012, 10:27 PM

Do you think that you are getting 1100 fps with those Tyrannosaur Thumpers out of a 64 ounce snubbie?